a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clips and similar gripping devices and, more particularly, to a locking clip that grips sheets of cloth, plastic or other material
b. Background Art
Numerous clips and other gripping devices have been proposed for gripping or cloth, plastic or other sheet-type materials. Some common examples include suspender clips for gripping pants, clothespins for securing clothing to the drying line, and binder clips for binding stacks of paper. Adaptations on clips of this nature have been used as an improvised means of securing canvas tarps or plastic sheets in an attempt to protect articles from environmental conditions, and certain gripping devices have evolved specifically for this type of application.
Tarps and other sheet coverings of course have a multitude of uses. For example, boaters commonly protect the deck and cockpits of their craft using canvas coverings. Normally such protective coverings are fitted with grommets and secured with rope. However, with age and weathering, the grommets often fail or the canvas deteriorates and supplemental means are required to secure the existing cover. As an inexpensive alternative to a new cover, a plastic tarp may be substituted. In either case, an alternative means for securing the cover is required.
During camping excursions it is common to see makeshift shelters erected from plastic tarps to protect the campsite occupants and gear from sun and rain. The tarps are often secured to trees via cord attached to corner grommets. However, the grommets are often inadequate in terms of number, spacing, or strength to provide the necessary support. As a result, the shelters typically fail due to wind loads or rain accumulation. Additional means for securing these types of temporary tarp shelters would be beneficial.
Tarps or other protective coverings are also commonly used to shelter goods during road transport by pickup trucks and automobiles with trailers in tow. Often times the tarps have no convenient means for securing them to the vehicle, and, as a result, they noisily flap in the wind and risk being ripped from the vehicle possibly resulting in a dangerous traffic situation. Commercial vehicles, such as dump trucks, often employ coverings to prevent construction site dirt and debris from blowing out of the vehicle during highway transport, and commercial trucking fleets often use curtain-like coverings on their trailers to shelter transported goods. Although sometimes these coverings have integrated securing mechanisms, failures in the mechanisms or reconfiguration to accommodate unanticipated changes in the load being transported requires a cover securing means that is easily adaptable to the new situation.
In many instances sheet material can also be used to provide temporary or semi-permanent coverings on a much larger scale. For example, large expanses of plastic sheeting are often used as temporary cover in the construction and civil engineering industries, e.g., to provide cover for a construction area or road resurfacing/repair. Such large installations call for an effective, inexpensive and rapidly installed attachment for securing the edge of the plastic sheeting material. Moreover, such material (for example, Visqueen™) typically lacks any form of grommets or similar structures that might be used as attachment points.
In all of these examples it would therefore be desirable to have an inexpensive gripping device that could be quickly and easily attached to the edge of the tarp or other covering such that it could be securely affixed by a rope or cord. The prior devices developed to accommodate this need are often inconvenient to implement and limited in their usage. Furthermore, these devices often fail themselves due to structural inadequacies or cause damage to the attached sheet material which subsequently fails; or they simply do not supply enough grip pressure to stay connected to the sheet material. Finally, considering the number of prior devices that may be required to safely secure the sheet material, the expense of such devices is often prohibitive.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a clip device for engaging and securing fabric, cloth, plastic or other sheet material, whether flexible or somewhat rigid, which is quickly and easily attached or removed and is easily adaptable to many materials and situations. Furthermore, there is a need for such a device that can be attached to a rope or cord in a rapid and convenient matter. Still further, there is a need for such a device that provides excellent grip and structural strength without compromising the integrity of the gripped material. Moreover, there is a need for such a device that is economical to manufacture.